Rain's Instigation
by Verdorbene Unschuld
Summary: A night of walking in the rain leads to some serios questions. Ran makes his choice, but can live with the consequences? (Youi xaya YuushixAya) I don't know what happened there, I reloaded it...
1. Prologue

**Rain's Instigation**

**Prologue**

**By Verdorbene Unschuld**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

Aya was staring out the window, his quilt wrapped around him. He had always liked the rain. He could just picture Youji teasing him about that, calling him depressing and such. He wasn't, he just liked the rain. So he would go out, and just walk around the city of Tokyo and think. More like remember, if he was honest. He knew he shouldn't dwell on the past so much, but it was so hard not to when the only current memories he had were on killing people. Which he deserved, after all, he was just a killer. 

He stood inside his room, staring out at the pouring rain and wondered if somewhere in the world, everything was okay for someone. Anyone, just as long as someone was happy, as long as there was proof that people could be content. He sighed and looked back at his door for a second. He didn't want Omi questioning where he was going, or weird looks from his team mates, so dropping the blanket, he jumped out the window. Landing gracefully, Aya silently thanked a god that didn't exist for the fact that gravel cement didn't get all that slippery when wet. He started walking, unsure of where he was going or where he was coming from. He only knew that he had to keep going, that if he stopped something would overwhelm him and take control. Unconsciously, he sped up. 

Youji knocked lightly on Aya's door, about to ask him if he wanted some supper. Not getting a response, as per usual, he opened that door. Noticing the fact that rain was pouring in through the open window and the fact that there was no Aya in sight, he walked over to the opening. He nearly tripped over a sopping blanket that lay so out of place on the otherwise clean floor. He glanced out as he closed the window, staring at quickly darkening red hair as Aya walked away.

'Now where would he be going?' Youji wondered, he already knew the answer to why he hadn't used the door like a normal person. Of course the obvious answer was that none of them were normal. Aya didn't like being looked at; he shied away from any attention. Youji could relate; he too had been treated badly when he was younger because of his colouring. Not that he knew Aya had been treated badly but it just, 'fit the profile'. His need to be perfect, his acceptation of all blame, his shyness, even his coldness, and of course, his utter devotion to his sister. He looked at the only photo the man had in his room, it looked to be a blown-up picture of him and Aya-chan, the kind from the tiny photo booths that were made for your wallet. It made sense; everything else would have been destroyed in the explosion. It was a good photograph; he criticized, the girl just oozing cheerfulness that complimented the gentle smile of the boy beside her. You could see it though, even then, the pain in those violet eyes. It took a while to form that icy mask Abyssinian wore these days.

"Youji! I'm hungry! Is Aya coming down?" Ken bellowed from the bottom of the stairs.

The blonde put the picture back, closing the door as he walked out. "No," he said, sauntering down the steps, "he isn't joining us."

Omi piped up, the mother hen, "Oh? Why not? He needs to eat; I'll be right back. You can start without us but make sure Ken saves some for the rest of us Youji."

"Don't bother, Chibi, he went out."

"Out?" Ken replied, "isn't it raining."

"This coming from a guy who will willingly go outside in the rain and play in the mud with a black and white ball because soccer and rain is like 'cookies and milk'. Besides, he could have taken his car and be staying indoors for the night. I hope he took his coat." Omi said, grabbing a slice of the delivered pizza, tonight's supper.

Youji saw no reason to inform Omi that all of his assumptions, including the one about rain and cookies, were wrong.

**********

It was 3 o'clock in the morning.   
Aya wasn't home yet.   
Youji was worried.   
But at least the rain had stopped.  
Eventually he fell asleep.

It was only that morning they found him, bleeding and unconscious outside the back door.


	2. Burning Tiger

**Rain's Instigation**

**Burning Tiger**

**Verdorbene**** Unschuld**

**Disclaimer**: Let's say it together now, I don't own Weiss or Schwarz or Crasher or the rest of Kritiker. 

**********

"What the hell?" Ken shouted, having gone to get the paper when Aya hadn't shown up downstairs yet. Omi ran down the hall to see what was wrong and gasped. 

"Omi, go get Youji up, now!" Ken ordered, bending down to see if Aya still had a pulse. It was there but weak. He glanced up to see Omi still standing there, eyes wide. "NOW!" he repeated and Omi was gone. He stared down worriedly at his leader wondering what the fuck they were going to do. A mantra filled the downstairs of the Koneko, a repetitive "oh shit, of shit, oh shit" that made Ken feel better.

"Oh my god, oh my god…" Omi repeated, bounding up the stairs (the upstairs' mantra). He pounded on Youji's door, in the end just throwing it open. "Youji!" he shouted. He got some inarticulate mumble in response. "Youji! Aya is hurt!" he tried again, and this time it worked. Youji shot up, yelling "What?" he didn't wait for an answer, only rushed out of bed, grabbing a pair of jeans and throwing them on. The two blondes rushed downstairs, the taller halted a moment at the sight of Aya laid out on the hallway floor, completely still except for the minuscule rises of his chest as he breathed, then only sound in the room Aya trying to breathe. "I called Kritker, they're sending someone here." Ken stated.

Youji stepped towards him carefully, almost as if he was afraid that the smell of smoke on his clothing would make it even more difficult for the redhead to breathe. "Ken, how bad is it?"

"It doesn't look that bad on the outside, but there are internal injuries. It seems as if someone almost put a bat to him, but that wouldn't make any sense. I mean, it's Aya, he could have god damn well shattered the ba-" he stopped his rant abruptly, seeing Kritiker staff knocking on the door, an ambulance sitting in the driveway. Ken went in the ambulance, as he had the most clue as to what was going on but Youji and Omi weren't far behind, the seven keeping up nicely with the speeding truck. They watched as their redhead was brought in, and were directed to the waiting room, where they waited, and waited. Ken was pacing, Youji's fingers were twitching and Omi looked near tears by the time the doctor came out. Aya's collarbone was broken, as was one of his ribs, which had punctured a lung on the drive to the hospital; he had a mild concussion and multiple lacerations and contusions. He had needed stitches down his left eyebrow and along his jaw. 

"Can we see him?" Youji questioned, staring at the man, who blinked at him.

"Your Kritiker operative has requested that he be kept in solitary confinement until he is awake and she arrives." He stated, sounding like he had quoted something, or someone. The eldest Weiss' growl was almost drowned out by Omi's 'eep' and Ken's curse but the good doctor heard it none the less and after the promise to keep them informed escaped past the admitting doors, which could not be opened from the outside without the nurse's cooperation.

**********

Aya awoke with a groan, the pain everywhere excruciating. He forced himself up by will alone, to see Manx sitting as pretty as you please beside him. "Aya" she said and he nodded back to her, or tired to and found he couldn't. Why the hell couldn't he…oh yeah…that.

No wonder Manx had greeted him instead of Youji, Ken and Omi.

"Water?" she asked, holding a cup. 

"Please." He responded, figuring it was probably best to be civil right now, she had the upper hand. He watched her walking around the room, flaunting her ability to move while he was stuck in the _hated_ hospital bed. She handed the plastic cup to him, watching him take small sips.

"So" she said, sitting back down in her chair and crossing her legs. She leaned over until their faces were closer together, "There is a rumor going around that there was a fight in a park right around here, one you frequent often enough after you visit Aya-chan, which you did last night. The fight included four men, including one redhead and one blond. Strike a chord?"

Aya remained silent.

"Oh, and did I forget to mention that redhead refused to fight back and just let them hit him?" she snapped, her anger getting the better of her. "You could have been killed! And where would Weiss be then? Or Aya-chan? All for a bunch of traitors!" she jumped out of her chair, starting to pace around the room, obviously agitated.

"What happened to Crashers, Manx?" Aya stated calmly, pushing aside his own ire for answers.

attack them make to happened what or Crashers mean you 

"Both," he responded, wanting to shrug but unable to.

"You didn't really know Rook, as you were his replacement but everyone was pretty close to him. A pretty loveable guy. He got captured on assignment and he was killed. Crashers wanted to go back and get his body, or actually, in reality, to get him. They didn't believe he was dead. Queen forbade them to go through with and they rebelled, you know how protective Knight was of his team-mates. They are now attacking anyone with any affiliation with them. You should have seen Queen, she would have _died_ if Birman hadn't been on her way to see her and found the woman." She finally looked at him, "and you were willing to let them trample all over you for the sake of the past!"

He turned his head away and she sighed. "Fine, I've said my bit, I'll let the others come in now. But I'll ask you this, how many people are you going to let get hurt so you don't have to kill an ex-lover?" he remained silent, staring out the window as the red-haired woman walked out the door. 

Almost immediately Youji tumbled into the room, followed by Ken and Omi. "What the hell were you thinking?" the tall blonde snarled, reaching out to shake the man before thinking better of it and instead clutching the side rail. "What the fuck happened, Aya? And why was Manx so adamant about seeing you first?" Aya almost groaned at the headache the bombardment of questions was causing him, only Youji could shoot questions at him like he had spent his entire life as a reporter and still live.

"Meh, Youji-kun! Aya-kun is in the hospital here, he just woke up! Give him some time to recuperate before you play reporter! How are you feeling, Aya-kun? Can I get you anything?" It was amazing how the boy could go from such a reproaching voice back to his normal genki and concerned one so quickly. Youji grumbled slightly but the wind had been knocked out of his sails and he shut up, for now. Aya could have kissed Omi…well hugged, because Omi and kissing was just wrong. It would be like kissing a twelve year old. Aya almost scrunched up his nose at the thought but realised that it would only cause questions.

"I'm fine. Thank you, Omi." He responded, instead.

"So how long are you going to be in here for?" Ken finally spoke up, having smothered his chuckles at Youji being shot down by such a little guy. Like he could talk, all of them, even Aya had been reproached by Omi and he always got away with it.

"I should be out tomorrow." He said shortly, wanting to get off the topic of his hospital stay as quickly as possible.

Omi laughed, "better to be lying in bed at home than here, ne Aya-kun? Common guys, we should let Aya-kun sleep. Bye-bye!"

"Bye." Aya replied as Youji shot him one last confused glance before following the other two out. He leaned back onto the raised bed and sighed. He had a funny feeling Youji wasn't through with his questioning.

**********

Aya frowned at the giant white sign, "We Missed You!" in bold red letters. 

"It's probably from a fan girl," Youji said, glancing around at the flowers and such surrounding the area. Aya got out of the car, ignoring Youji as the blonde scowled and scrambled out of the other side to help him. The redhead was starting to slowly walk over when Ken and Omi appeared on Ken's motorcycle. "Wow." Ken muttered, taking off his helmet. 

Aya went to the largest box, standing directly in the centre of everything and Youji laughed. "Always go for the biggest one first, ne Aya?" Aya ignored him, lifting the lid up carefully. Of course the sides fell down then. Revealing a bomb.

"Go," Aya stated, sitting down to get closer to the explosives, wincing slightly from the pain in his ribs. 

"But…" Omi started, but Ken was already putting his helmet back on, starting his motorcycle. He knew _that_ voice.

"LEAVE." He ignored the sounds of the motorcycle revving away.

Aya stared at it, licking his lips in concentration. He knew this; he had done this. Years ago, he had been a pro at this. It had been included in his training at the Aoba center; you had to learn how to disable explosives before you could find out how to set them up. He closed his eyes for a moment and when he opened them the time on the clock was less. No time to be reminiscing. He started unscrewing the top plate, looking inside…

  
  


Aya stared at it. The clock was still ticking, but it wasn't attached to the bomb anymore. That was a good thing. He watched it tick down, 00:02, 00:01, 00:00. It beeped, and nothing happened. He sighed, the moment felt slightly anticlimactic. The pain adrenaline had pushed aside earlier came back and he stumbled a little. Youji, who it seemed had been watching him, caught him. Aya looked up at him.

"You should have left." He told the man gravely.

The blonde shrugged, righting the redhead and saying, "I should do a lot of things. I figured if you couldn't get it, maybe something from when I lived on an army base might have helped. You wouldn't have had time to run all the way outside. Especially in your state." He couldn't help but add, judging from the guilty smile, meaning his usual one. "Come; let's get you upstairs, where you should be." 

Aya didn't bother to respond. They reached the bedroom, Aya leaning on Youji's shoulder. Walking inside, Youji brought Aya towards the bed when something caught his eye on the black covers. There were three things. One white rose, one marble rook playing piece, and a note. 

"Here" Youji said, handing the note to Aya. 

_Tiger, Tiger burning bright  
In the forest of the night,  
What immortal hand or eye  
Could frame thy fearful symmetry? _

_In what distant deeps or skies  
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?  
On what wings dare he aspire?  
What the hand dare seize the fire?_

_And what shoulder and what art  
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?  
And when thy heart began to beat,  
What dread hand and what dread feet?_

_What the hammer? What the chain?  
In what furnace was thy brain?  
What the anvil? What dread grasp  
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?_

_When the stars threw down their spears,  
And water'd heaven with their tears,  
Did He smile His work to see?  
Did He who made the lamb make thee?_

_Tiger, Tiger burning bright  
In the forest of the night,  
What immortal hand or eye  
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?_

Aya sighed and put the piece of paper by the bed. There was nothing he could about it now. Youji, noticing his intentions with some surprise, picked up the other two objects, placing one in a glass of water and the other on the desk. Aya almost fell into bed and was asleep before he could put the covers over him instead of just lying on them.

Youji smiled indulgently and picked the man up, moving him so as to get him under the covers. Even with all his bruises and cuts the man was beautiful, looking fragile and more at ease than he ever did when he was awake. What the hell had gone on that Aya hadn't fought back? That had to have been what happened, because unless it was Schwarz Aya could kick the crap out of anyone, even without his sword. Youji stood beside the man's bed, staring down at him until he realised that he should probably call Omi and Ken and tell them that the house was fine and Aya had saved the day again. And then Kritiker would need to be informed, though it was likely they already knew. Damn informants. Damn fucking mess. What the hell had Aya gotten them into now?

  
  



	3. Stars and Business

**Rain's Instigation**

**Stars and Business**

**                                    Verdorbene Unschuld**

  
  
**Disclaimer**: I own the stars and chicken soup, just a can not the company.

Note: Yeah, I know, short chapter. oh well, I wanted to end it at the ending so I did.

*************

Aya was lying in bed a few days later when Birman came in, all sombre business in a black suit. At least she got right to the point.

"Crashers needs to be eliminated Aya, they gone rogue. They aren't doing missions except their own, they attacked you, along with some other agents that know of them, including Queen. They aren't cleaning up their own messes properly and I refuse to let them bring the rest of Kritiker down with them."

The man nodded.

"So no more of this not fighting back business?" She pressed. He nodded again, glaring deathly angry eyes at her. She should have known; they had threatened his team. If it had just been Aya that could have been harmed, Birman wasn't so sure whether or not Aya would hesitate, despite the fact that Manx had wringed him out. But the swordsman was fiercely protective of the rest of Weiss, especially Omi and Ken, a side effect of the trauma of losing his family while he was helpless. She smiled at him, he acted like such a hard ass but most of them knew by now he was a softy inside. Take the little girl, whose hospital bills he was paying for. Aya glared harder, as if knowing her thoughts. Sometimes, when that intense gaze fell upon you, it was hard not to wonder if he really was a telepath. They had done the tests, he wasn't, just very good at reading people and remembering details. Shion, if anything, had been a good teacher. She nodded and walked out, leaving him to his thoughts.

He closed his eyes as he considered what he was going to have to do. Kill Pawn, as young and cheerful as Omi; Bishop, with his wisdom and kindness; or Knight, a true friend, someone who had your back no matter how often you fought. What had made them fight their collars, and become renegades? What had made them want to become an enemy of him, and his team? He understood the anger they must have felt at leaving Rook behind, but try and get themselves killed, to harm innocents and Queen, how had been like a mother to them? 

He sunk further into the mattress and didn't open his eyes as Youji came in. He had always thought Youji's footsteps sounded odd. It was like he was dancing to music that only he could hear. 

"Hey, Aya? You awake? What did Birman have to say?" Youji questioned, sitting beside him.

"Destroy Crashers." He stated voice flat.

"Crashers? Isn't that your old team?"

"Yes." He wanted Youji to stop asking questions. He wanted to fall into a drug-lulled sleep and just rest for years. He finally acknowledged to himself that he didn't want to do this. Didn't want to kill his old team. Images of Pawn waged against pictures of Omi, Bishop against Ken, Youji against Knight. He thought of Queen, abandoned by her group. He had to protect his team at all costs, even those to himself.

"But…" Youji wanted to say that it wasn't right to force Aya to do that but there was something in Aya's expression, despite his closed eyes, that said his resolve was firm. He wondered what they had done to deserve the destruction about to be havocked upon them. He meant that, because to destroy a team meant everything; no lives left - no home, no bank accounts, no personal items, and no gravestones. He wondered what had caused Aya's tenacity at their annihilation.

"Leave it Youji."

So Youji left it and there was silence for a while, albeit not an uncomfortable one. Youji ended up falling asleep in the chair beside the bed, not an unusual event these days and Aya forced himself up and draped a spare blanket over the man. Omi walked in sometime later with some soup to see Aya lying there, nose in a book and one of his hands idly playing with Youji's hair. 

Omi coughed and Aya put the book down, slipping his hand out of those blond strands at the same time. Youji grumbled something but just cuddled up deeper into the mattress, where he had fallen forward onto. The youngest smiled slightly as he offered Aya some chicken soup. Why chicken soup, he wanted to ask. Who had thought up the idea that chicken soup healed all? All Aya did was nod, though and Omi almost bounced forward, barely managing not to spill it. The blonde placed the tray holding the bowl of steaming liquid and Aya stared at it.

"Um…yeah. Sorry about that. We were out of normal soup so I used Ken's and well…" Omi grinned impishly as Aya continued to stare at the soup. There were stars in his soup. Stars. Omi had just brought him star and chicken soup, like he was five or something. Something odd started to rise in his chest, building, building, until it escaped. He chuckled, and then started to laugh. And he found he couldn't stop. Youji woke up to the noise and fell out of the chair, staring at Aya in shock. It only made Aya laugh harder, because both blonds had the exact same look on their faces. He was about to kill his old team mates and his new ones were falling out of chairs and giving him chicken soup with stars! It was fucking hilarious. The laughter eventually died down but the feeling of hilarity did not fade. 

"It's fine, Omi. I don't mind star and chicken soup." He finally managed to get out, lifting a spoonful to his mouth.

"Um, Okay, if you really like star and chicken soup that much I can make it for you normally instead of the regular kind. I didn't know you liked it that much." He said, mistaking Aya's mirth for delight at the dish he'd been given or something like that.

"No that's okay Omi. I'm good with normal soup." Aya responded, still chuckling. Youji attempted to get off the floor dignity but couldn't really. Omi left them, thinking that they might need to change Aya's medication.

Aya lay there, eating his stars and chicken. Youji, finally sitting back in the chair looked at him. "So I guess you really like your stars and chicken soup, huh?"

Aya threw a pillow at him.


	4. Beauty, Burnings, and Bickering

**Rain's Instigation**

**Beauty Burnings and Bickering**

**                                    Verdorbene Unschuld**

  
  


**Disclaimer:** I've got nothing...

********

  
  


The four members of Weiss got out of the car, Aya locking it behind them. Omi had tracked Crashers to the same place that they had been when Aya had lived with them. The white hunters had all their assets were ready to be transferred into Kritiker accounts the minute Omi pressed a button. But before that they had to kill them. 

They split up, Omi tracking body heat in the house, away from any fighting but close enough if someone needed assistance. Ken was to set up the explosives, Youji was to go after Pawn and Bishop if Ken or Aya didn't encounter either of them first and Aya was to go after Knight and destroy the files on Crashers computer. 

Aya slipped into a room on his left, having memorised the layout of the house years ago, he knew that the best place for the computer was in this room. It had been there when he left and here it was. Crashers was getting sloppy, he thought, frowning. Why would they stay here? He flipped the switch and the machine beeped, turning on. It asked for an 11-digit password. He wasn't a computer genius, and he didn't have that much time. He flipped it back of and grabbed his sheath. He smashed the tower, taking the hard-drive with him and leaving the rest. He hid in the shadows of the room, knowing someone would come because of the noise he had created. Sure enough Pawn slipped into the room, swearing as he noticed the computer. He barely saw the katana coming towards him, only having enough time to gasp as it slid home. 

"Ran," he whispered.

"Not Ran, Aya." The assassin corrected, pulling the blade out.

"Murderer." The young man accused.

"Yes." But Pawn was already dead.

Aya left the room, knowing Knight would be in the gym they had created. He heard Youji say Bishop was dead vaguely, a distant note at the back of his mind. The spacious room was filled with black and red candles, and Yuushi stood in the center of the room kondorudarujan in his hand. Aya jumped from the landing he was on down to the floor, landing gracefully right in front of the other man.

"Impressive," the other scorned.

Aya lunged at him.

"Can you kill me, Ran? Somehow i doubt it. I mean I know you walked away but that was because we got too close anyway, wasn't it? Still using your sister as an excuse to be a murderer?" he asked, throwing the questions as him, taunting, all the while dodging and attacking.

"If that's what it takes, then yes, I will kill you. And don't ever speak of my sister again." he threatened, each word signalling another attack.

"Come on Ran, do you remember what we were like together. And I've seen some of the things you've done on private missions; seen the aftermath…you've only gotten better. Between you and me we could take over Kritiker." Knight said, dodging another assault desperately. The blonde could fight but his training had been based solely on taking an oppenent down without killing him, Aya's was not.

"I think not, Yuushi." Aya said, finally sending the blade home, into the man's chest. The blonde stared down at the blade then up into cold violet eyes. He reached out and touched the man's cheek, leaving a small trail of blood down it.

"You were mine first, little orchid. Don't forget that…" he whispered, the life in his eyes fading as Ran vindictively pulled the sword out with a twist.

"Bombay, do you have all the information, you need?" he asked over the intercom, angry that his team-mates had heard that conversation.

"Yeah, all done."

"Siberian, bombs?"

"All we need to do is press the button."

"Balinese?"

"See you later." He responded, speaking vaguely just in case anyone was listening.

There were a few minutes of silence as they all walked away from the building. Then Siberian came back on.

"Everyone clear?"

"Hai."

"Yeah"

"Hn."

Aya stood for a moment, watching a place blow up in flames that could have been a home for him. It really was a pretty sight in a weird sort of way. He turned his back on it and kept on walking to the safe house, taking his time and ignoring his wounds. They were all dead, every one of them killed, three of them by his own team. He had murdered his own ex-lover because they had gotten angry with Kritiker and joined the wrong side. Yuushi had told him not forget and he wouldn't. The three had not been some nameless evil he needed to get off the organisation's back. They had been – for a short period of time – his team. The nightmares over random people were bad enough but if he could kill that team on Persia's demand, what would stop him form killing this one? Pain and guilt twisted into a knot in his stomach, far more excruciating then his wounds. He shoved the thoughts to the back of his mind as he reached the safehouse, knowing the others would be waiting for him. 

The other three were there as Aya walked in, quietly shutting the door behind him. Ken had his bugnuks out but Omi was busy concentrating on fixing Youji's wound. It seemed Bishop had got a good swipe at him before he died. Youji looked up at him and grinned before yelping in pain as Omi cleaned it, muttering something about bloodthirsty ingrates. Ken slipped off to shower and to go to bed, now that Aya was here to look after the other two since they were preoccupied. Omi stepped away from the other blonde saying he would be fine, and he too went to go take a shower, yawning as he did so now that the adrenaline had worn off. 

"You've got some blood on your check," Youji said, reaching over to wipe it off. Aya flinched away from the touch. He moved away, ignoring Youji's frown as he walked to the window and fiddled with the blinds until he could see out but no one could see in. It was a beautiful night – the sky a dark violet with sparkling diamonds for stars. How ironic that something as ugly as murder could happen on a night like this. 

Omi appeared, saying he was done and it was Aya's turn. Aya left to go take a shower gratefully. He let the hot water beat down on his body. He stepped out, conscious that Omi was waiting for him to get out so he could go to bed, as Youji had taken a shower before they'd patched up his wound but was in a bit too much pain to do a heck of a lot alone. He changed into a pair of cotton pants, placing the towel around his neck to catch the excess water from his hair. He stepped out into the hall and then to the living room, telling Omi to go to bed. The young man left the two alone as Aya went back to the window.

"So Knight was your lover." Youji said, obviously asking for more information with that statement.

"Aa." Was all he said, forcing Youji to pull teeth if he wanted answers to all his questions. Aya was hoping he didn't want it that badly. Unfortunately he wasn't so lucky.

"So how long were you two in a relationship?"

Aya sighed and contemplated telling Youji it wasn't any of his business. Youji would probably leave him alone if he got the blonde angry enough. But then he would have to deal with a sulky Youji, a Youji who would probably just get him drunk and ask him then, or something Youji-ish like that.

"A couple months." He still wasn't going to spill it all in one big convenient lump. 

"Why'd you split it off?" he could hear the man gritting his teeth, but resisted the urge to turn around so he could actually see the pain in the ass annoyed.

"I was only there as a temporary replacement. I needed some things Crashers couldn't give me. I left on my own terms."

"What kind of terms?"

"In the middle of the night." He said, knowing how bad that sounded.

"How Aya-like." Youji murmured and Aya whirled on him.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" he snapped, ire rising and only increasing at Youji's triumphant look.

"Just that I could see you leaving in the middle of the night to avoid unwanted questions."

"Well then why haven't I left _now_?" he bit out and Youji shrugged looking like he seriously didn't know. 

"It was different than that anyway." Aya muttered, feeling the need to justify himself.

"How?"

Aya closed his eyes, leaning his head against the cool window. "Kritiker did not want the rest of Crashers to get attached as I was only there temporarily. I was told I would be relocated, I left instead – worked solo for a while."

"Why'd you come back, then?" Youji questioned, sounding eager for the little bits of information on Weiss' enigma. 

"I don't want to talk about it," Aya stated, looking straight into Youji's eyes.

Youji shrugged, "figured you'd clam up sometime. He flopped down on the couch behind him, lighting a cigarette and watching Aya from behind his sunglasses. Aya turned back to outside the window. Youji was asleep in that position when Aya turned around to check some unknown amount of time later. The redhead grabbed a blanket from the cupboard and placed it over the man who was half falling out of the small couch. How many times had he done this lately? He couldn't remember, often though. He stood back out to gaze out to the night. Whatever happened he would keep watch. He wouldn't fail another team. Besides, he was not eager to see the dreams that awaited him.


End file.
